Method for fixing protective sheets about rolls of material

Abstract

Method and apparatus for fixing a protective sheet to a roll of material such as fabric or carpet, and having a longitudinal bore therein, in which the roll is covered with a sheet of paper or plastics material, for example, the width of which is greater than the width of the roll, the ends of the sheet are folded over the ends of the roll and are inserted into the ends of the bore, and a gripper element is introduced into the ends of the bore and is deformed permanently by expanding it radially outwardly into contact with the ends of the sheet and urging these ends against the inner wall of the bore.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a method of fixing a protective cover sheet around a roll of material such as carpet, fabric, or the like, where such roll is formed around a carrier tube having a longitudinal bore and wherein the cover sheet has a width sufficient that the marginal end portions thereof cover the ends of the roll, the improvement comprising the steps of: inserting the marginal end portions of the cover sheet into the bore;   introducing into the bore expansion means carrying a gripping element, the gripping element comprising a metal strip having first and second ends and being wound in at least two successive turns to form a spiral having a substantially circular cross-section, the gripping element being radially expandable by application of an internal force thereto to any size within a range of diameters ranging from a first chosen diameter to a second diameter equal to the diameter of the bore, the gripping element being at the first diameter when introduced into the bore; and   expanding said expansion means from engagement with the gripping element at the first diameter to engagement at a diameter approximately equal to the second diameter whereby the gripping element firmly urges and holds the marginal end portions of the material against the inner wall of the bore.   
     
     
       2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of expanding the expansion means is carried out by actuating a pistol device associated with the expansion means. 
     
     
       3. A method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of adhering the turns of the gripping element to each other after the element has been expanded to hold the marginal end portions of the material. 
     
     
       4. A method as claimed in claim 3 including the step of engaging the gripping element metal strip proximate its second end by means of a retractable finger for holding the turns of the gripping element in the desired position. 
     
     
       5. A method as claimed in claim 4 including the step, performed after the marginal end portions of the material are urged against the bore, of rotating the expansion means in the reverse direction of the turns of the metal strip to improve the gripping.